520 Chimney Swallcm (Hir-^ndo rmtica), 



understands the language of birds. Though, possibly, the 

 vizier may be now dead, still his surprising knowledge has, 

 no doubt, descended to his offspring ; just in the same way 

 as a hereditary knack at legislation goes down from father 

 to son in our English peerage. We are told that — 



" Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis ; 

 Est in juvencis, est in equis patrum 

 Virtus." * 



Charles Waterton, 

 Walton Hall, Sept. 27. 1831. 



Art. X. Notes on the Chimney SvoalloMo (Hirundo rustica), and 

 on the Windo'w Swallow, or Marten (Hirundo urbica). By Jona- 

 than Couch, Esq. 



Swallow (iyirundo rustica). First seen, April 10th, 1808 j 13th, 1827 j 

 13th, 1830; 16th, 1818, 1824; 17th, 1828; 21st, 1811, 1821 ; 23d, 

 1817, 1822; 26th, 1825; 28th, 1823; 30th, 1820: May 2d, 1812, 1815. 

 — Disappeared, Sept. 24th, 1816 ; 28th, 1820 ; 29th, 1819; 30th, 1818 : 

 Oct. 2d, 1823; 3d, 1825; 7th, 1824; 11th, 1815; 29th, 1819: Nov. 1. 

 1805. 



Marten {H. urbica). First seen, April 16th, 1831; 20th, 1816; 21st, 

 1829; 22d, 1819; 23d, 1818; 24th, 1810, 1821; 30th, 1823: May 2d, 

 1812, 1815, 1820; 3d, 1817; 5th, 1825. — Disappeared, Sept. 28th, 

 1820; 30th, 1818: Oct. 2d, 1823; 3d, 1825; 5th, 1819; 11th, 1815, 

 1816, 1821, 1828, 1829; 13th, 1817; 14th, 1822; 15th, 1824, 1827j 



' 27th, 1813 : Nov. 1st, 1805 ; 6th, 1810 : Dec. 13th, 1830. 



Few migratory birds have attracted so much observation as 

 these, chiefly on account of the regularity of their movements, 

 and the proximity of their abode to the residence of man: 

 but though thus offering themselves continually to his observ- 

 ation, a satisfactory account of their migrations, and of the 

 motives of them, is far from being obtained as yet ; nor is this 

 likely to be the case until the observations have been made 

 for a longer period, and in different quarters of the world. 

 For the furtherance of this object, the following notes are 

 recorded : — 



These birds, in crossing the Channel, reach the land near 

 the shore, and in misty weather seem to have a difficulty 

 in finding it : for I have been assured by intelligent fisher- 

 men, that, when the weather is hazy, swallows, martens, 

 swifts, and other birds are accustomed to alight on their boats, 

 at the distance of three or four leagues from land, either 

 singly or in small flocks ; at which time they appear so much 

 fatigued, that the swallow is often only able to fly from one 



* " The brave and good are copies of their kind ; 

 In steers laborious, and in generous steeds. 

 We trace their sires.'* Fmncis's Translotion, 



